2ND MURDERER | SoHo Shakespeare Company

About our Show | GET TICKETS | Cast & Crew

Directed by

FRANKIE DICIACCIO

A new dark comedy by

KANIKA ASAVARI VAISH

G E T ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ T I C K E T S

October 9 - November 1, 2025

The Flea Theater, 20 Thomas Street, Manhattan NY

About our Show | 2M | 2025

ABOUT our SHOW

Power is a perception ...

What happens when the mind can no longer contain what the heart wants?

In the cutthroat world of New York theater, two bumbling actors land minor roles in a production of Richard III, only to find themselves trapped in a real-life plot of murder & betrayal. When reality gives way to fantasy, they choose to meddle with the plot and confront the man in power. 2nd Murderer is a pulse-pounding dark comedy about fate, purpose, and trusting that little voice in your head.

By Kanika Asavari Vaish; Directed by Frankie DiCiaccio; Executive Producer Alex Pepperman; Producers Abbas Syed & Kanika Asavari Vaish; Associate Producers Rodolfo Pedroni, Cito Mena, Angela Parra, Emily Tuckman.

THE CAST: Milton Espinoza Jr., Jennifer Fouché*, Txai Frota*, Shawn K Jain*, Ahmad Maher*, Lizzie Markson*, TuQuyen Pham*, Flower Rios*, and Basil Rodericks* in principal roles. Remidy Dixon, Karen KW Li*, Cito Mena*, and Devon Savage as understudy.

THE PRODUCTION TEAM: Morgan Grant (Production Stage Manager), Lauren Hingle (Stage Manager), Alex Pepperman (Production Manager, Text Coach, Carpenter), Niiamar (Costume Designer), Christopher Wong (Lighting Designer), Etzu Shaw (Projection Designer), Kevin Anderson (Set Designer, Head Carpenter), Lucky Bommireddy (Sound Designer), Leana Gardella (Fight & Intimacy Director), Katherine Wright (Dramaturg), Keith Anderson (Graphic Design), Rodolfo Pedroni (Front of House Manager), Angela Parra (Marketing Manager).

Produced by SoHo Shakespeare Company

501(c)3 Nonprofit Organization

G E T ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ T I C K E T S

The Cast

Cast-Crew-2M-2025

by Kanika Asavari Vaish

Directed by Frankie DiCiaccio

Presented by

SoHo Shakespeare Company

G E T ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ T I C K E T S

Jennifer Fouché*

Cynthia & Queen Elizabeth

A proud native Detroiter and official New Yorker, Jennifer Fouché is best known for her role as Matron Mama Morton in CHICAGO on Broadway and on the Broadway national tour. Her other Broadway credits include: CHICKEN AND BUISCUITS and POTUS. She also starred in the world premiere of Pulitzer Prize and Tony winner Michael R. Jackson’s WHITE GIRL IN DANGER, Off Broadway. Jennifer is a board member and artist-in-residence at SoHo Shakespeare Company, Vice President of The Episcopal Actors Guild, and a member of the Tony Award winning choir, The Broadway Inspirational Voices. TV: LAW & ORDER; WU-TANG: AN AMERICAN SAGA; PERSON OF INTEREST; QUANTICO; JESSICA JONES. Film: CROWN HEIGHTS, B-BOY BLUES. She is the voice of Dame Stella Nostrella on PBS’s PINKALITIOUS & PETERRIFIC and can be heard as the voice of Diana The Diva on Nickelodeon’s THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS: A NEW WISH.

Milton Espinoza Jr.

Milton & Hastings

Growing up in Newark, Milton Espinoza Jr. dreamed of one day joining the ranks of the city's most influential artists. Even now, he aspires to inspire the masses with a voice as powerful as Whitney Houston’s, to master his craft with the precision of Sarah Vaughan, and to push artistic boundaries like Redman. His work centers on telling stories that are part of a Caribbean Rasanblaj—a rich tapestry that amplifies marginalized identities often overlooked in mainstream media, theater, and Hollywood. His recent credits include: JULIUS CAESAR; PASSION PLAY; THE COLOURED MUSEUM; AN OCTOROON at Columbia University’s School of the Arts; OEDIPUS EL REY & ACTION at Wesleyan University. Milton is deeply grateful for the love and support of the incredible family he’s built—at Soho Shakes, at home, and in communities that extend far beyond the villa.

Txai Frota*

Murph & 2nd Murderer

Txai Frota is a New York based actor originally from the Boston area. Select Credits include: THE BLEEDING CLASS (59E59); WAITING FOR LEFTY and RICHARD III (SoHo Shakespeare Company); THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE (Hunter College); THE FIRE THIS TIME FESTIVAL (Kraine Theatre); REASONS TO BE PRETTY (Secret Theatre). He graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts NY where he received the Charles Jehlinger Award and developed plays with award winning playwrights John Cariani, Daniel Goldfarb, and Keelay Gibson. He studies with Scott Freeman at The Freeman Studio, studied Shakespeare at SoHo Shakes, Improv at UCB, and is an alumni of INTAR’s Unit 52, the LAByrinth Spring Ensemble Workshop.

Shawn K. Jain*

Dick & Richard III

Shawn K. Jain's theatre credits include PERICLES (Target Margin); COWBOYS & EAST INDIANS (Denver Center); HEARTLAND (New Repertory Theater); CLUE (Arts Center of Coastal Carolina); THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW (Mile Square Theatre); MISS BENNET: CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLEYS (Merrimack Repertory Theatre); 12 CHAIRS (The O'Neill); HAMLET(Gloucester Stage Company); ASSISTANCE(American Repertory Theater); GUARDS AT THE TAJ(SoHo Shakes); OUR TOWN (Nebraska Repertory Theatre). Television credits include FOR ALL MANKIND (Apple TV+); LAW & ORDER (NBC); WE CRASHED (Apple TV+); FBI: MOST WANTED (CBS); BILLIONS (Showtime); GIRLS5EVA(Netflix); BLUE BLOODS (CBS); GOSSIP GIRL (HBO Max); THESPIAN (Amazon). Shawn has narrated over 120 audiobooks. He received his MFA in Acting from A.R.T. Institute at Harvard University/Moscow Art Theatre School and his BA from UC Berkeley.

Ahmad Maher*

Max & 1st Murderer

Ahmad Maher (He|Him) is an Egyptian-born, NYC-based actor who has performed in various countries, including Egypt, Sweden, and the United States. Credits include: Theatre: THE ALLY (Mixed Blood); PILGRIMS MUSA & SHERI IN THE NEW WORLD (The Public Theatre); RICHARD III (SoHo Shakespeare Co.); WAITING FOR LEFTY (Small Boat Productions/SoHo Shakespeare Co.); INVASION! (Ancram Center for the Arts - Berkshire Theatre Critics Award Outstanding Ensemble Performance); THE REVOLUTION’S PROMISE(New Perspectives Theatre Company). Film/TV: THRENODY(Purple Duck Films - Official Selection for Cine Film Festival, Shnit Worldwide Film Festival, and Philadelphia Independent Film Festival); TABULA RASA (Jamil Pictures); YOU GOTTA DANCE FOR IT (Tin Tin Pictures). Commercial: GOOGLE(DDBHouse); BOOKBEAT,LÄNSFÖRSÄKRINGAR(Bleck Film); LIDL(Est E Ban); NICOTINELL (Sun Days); ABBMOTION (SiteSing). Voiceover: THE SPACE WITHIN SEASON 2 (Audible). Ahmad is excited to return to the SoHo Shakespeare Company with this production, and is grateful to his friends and family for their support.

Flower Estefana Rios*

Paulette & Buckingham

Flower Estefana Rios (she/her) is a Trans Chicana actor, writer, drag performer, musician, and producer originally from Laredo, Texas. Based in Brooklyn, NY, credits include: NOTES ON KILLING… (Yale Rep); TRANSLUCENT(Boundless Theatre Company); JULIO AIN’T GOING DOWN LIKE THAT (INTAR/QCC). Flower's theater training includes LAB’s Intensive Ensemble, Breaking the Binary’s Musical Theater Intensive, and INTAR’s Unit 52. Her writing has been presented with The Playground Experiment and was part of the inaugural The Outrage Queer Writer’s Residency.

Basil Rodericks*

Klaude, Edward IV & Richmond

Basil Rodericks trained with John Basil at the American Globe Conservatory Theatre, where he performed for more than ten seasons. He later continued classical work with unShout the Noise (Tricia Mancuso Parks) under Ron Canada and as a member of Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre Company. Favorite roles: OTHELLO; IAGO; CLAUDIUS; THE GHOST; LORD CAPULET; OBERON; THE KING OF FRANCE. Recent: Langston Hughes in HARLEM TO MOSCOW: A SOVIET FILM ON NEGRO LIFE AS TOLD BY LANGSTON HUGHES; Bill in PINK; both by Alle Mims under David Henry Hwang/Columbia U. Directing: KINDERGARTEN CONFIDENTIAL (Debbie Goodstein); THE WANDERER(David Glover); PECKING ORDER(59E59). Basil served as an evaluator for Hedgepig’s “Expand the Canon” initiative and a nominator for The Drama League. An accomplished theatrical photographer, he teaches photography at a South Bronx high school.

Cito Mena*

u/s Murph, Max, Norbert

Cito Mena is a Brooklyn based actor, and will serve as an associate producer and understudy for 2nd Murderer! Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Cito attended Arizona State University and later The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Cito has worked professionally on stages in Arizona and New York City, with most recent credits including: WAITING FOR LEFTY (SoHo Shakespeare Company); and THE GROUP (Columbia New Plays Festival).

Remidy Dixon

u/s Ann & Justine

Remidy Dixon is a dedicated actor based in New York City, currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, with double minors in Entertainment Business and Producing. Originally from Fort Worth, Texas, she moved to the city to embrace every opportunity to grow as a performer and industry professional. Her most notable stage credits include Juliet in ROMEO AND JULIET; Bianca in TAMING OF THE SHREW; Angela in US DRAG. Beyond acting, Remidy is also passionate about choreographing, writing, and cooking gluten-free cuisine. She is so excited to be working on 2nd Murderer!

Karen KW Li*

u/s Cynthia & Paulette

Karen KW Li (She/Her) Favorite credits include: THE RICE EATERS (AMT Theater); TWELFTH NIGHT (TheatreSquared); EXCLUSION (Arena Stage); THE GREAT LEAP (Perseverance Theatre); BABEL(Contemporary American Theater Festival); YOSHIMI BATTLES THE PINK ROBOTS (La Jolla Playhouse). TV credits include DANCING WITH THE STARS (ABC). Karen is a collective member of Submersive Productions. She was a playwright in the 2024 cohort of the Horticulture Playwrights Workshop with Sisters Freehold, and is currently a playwright in residence at Baltimore Center Stage in their inaugural Lab410 program. Theatre and Dance B.A., UC San Diego. Upcoming: Karen was a writer for the latest season of Feminist Fairytales, an audio drama podcast that reimagines fairytales through a feminist lens. Her piece, STAR 1100.1, will be released on 10/31.

The Production Team

Lead Production Sponsorship

is provided by the contributions of

Matthias, Liz, and Ray Altwicker &

The Vaish Family

Kanika Asavari Vaish

Playwright & Producer

Kanika Asavari Vaish is an NYC-based theater artist who spent her middle and high school years in Mumbai. She is a playwright, director, performer, and producer who strives to dismantle historical barriers to theater for underrepresented artists. She is also the co-founder of South Asian theater ensemble and incubator Fresh Lime Soda Productions. Her work focuses on hope, community, and transformation, and she believes in using theater as a tool for collective healing, social resistance, and self-empowerment. Her favorite kind of show is one that acknowledges its audience. Recent credits include: MEMNON (Assistant Director, Classical Theatre of Harlem); EIGHT WAYS TO PLEAD WITH A GOD (Playwright, Playhouse in the Square; Valdez Theatre Conference); THREE SISTERS, FOUR WOMEN (Director, SoHo Shakespeare Company); THE XIXth (Assistant Director, The Old Globe); JYOTI’S BRIDGE (Playwright, Columbia University). MFA: Columbia University.

Frankie DiCiaccio

Director

Frankie DiCiaccio is thrilled to make their SoHo Shakespeare Company debut. Frankie is a theatre-maker, educator, and community organizer. They have acting, directing, and choreography credits in Chicago (Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, The Shakespeare Project of Chicago, TimeLine Theatre), Boston (American Repertory Theater, Club Oberon) and New York (The Dare Tactic, LaGuardia Performing Arts, The Shakespeare Forum). Frankie has taught and been a guest artist at university theater departments across the country, including Wagner, The Theatre School at DePaul, Northwestern, Northern Illinois, Adelphi, Creighton, and College of Staten Island. Frankie sits on multiple boards, including for DeKalb County Pride and Barb Food Mart, a food pantry serving families in DeKalb, IL. They also coordinate Common Table DeKalb, a grant-funded series of free meals and story-sharing events. Frankie holds degrees from Northwestern University and the American Repertory Theater/Moscow Art Theater School Institute at Harvard University.

Alex Pepperman

Artistic Director, Executive Producer, Production Manager, Text Coach, Carpenter

Alex Pepperman (he/him) is the Founding Artistic Director and Executive Producer at SoHo Shakespeare Company. He is a director, actor, producer, teacher, text coach, carpenter, and is on the faculty at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, NYC, where he teaches Acting Shakespeare. He holds a Masters in Theatre from Harvard University, where he specialized in Shakespeare studies (David Hammond); a BA in Creative Writing, Acting, and Business Marketing from FDU, Madison; and an AOS from AADA, NYC. He has studied Shakespeare under the tutelage of acclaimed Broadway actor Jack Wetherall, and has worked professionally on the stages of New York, Boston, and Moscow. Directing credits include: WAITING FOR LEFTY and RICHARD III (SoHo Shakespeare Co.), THUNDERSTRUCK (Gene Frankel Theater), COMPLICITY MACHINE (Eden Theatre Co.), BARDCORE: HAMLET (A.R.T. Oberon), MONOGAMOUS ANIMALS (Eden Theater Co.); and has acted professionally on the stages of New York, Boston, and Moscow.

Morgan Grant

Production Stage Manager

Morgan Grant is a NYC-based Stage Manager, and is thrilled to be working with SoHo Shakespeare Company! Most recently, she was at The Public Theater working on Troy Anthony’s adaptation of PERICLES. Morgan was the Production Stage Manager of Off-Broadway's THE OFFICE! A Musical Parody for several years, as well as Co-Stage Manager of FRIENDS! The Musical Parody and SINGFELD! A Musical About Nothing!. She recently worked with The Classical Theater of Harlem on MEMNON and Broadway Bares: HIT THE STRIP!. Morgan toured (A)WAY OUT OF MY BODY with David Dorfman Dance, and worked with Smith Street Stage, artist Jim Watt, and TedxAsbury. Morgan just graduated with her MFA in Stage Management from Columbia University.

Lauren Hingle

Stage Manager & Wardrobe Supervisor

Lauren Hingle is an LSU graduate in theatre arts administration and a very recent NYC transplant. Her stage management experience has included productions with LSU Theatre, Swine Palace, Turner-Fischer Center for Opera at LSU, Theatre Baton Rouge, Hangar Theatre, Kitchen Theatre Company, and SUNY Cortland. She is thrilled to be working with SoHo Shakespeare Company for her first full production in the city. She’d like to thank the whole team for welcoming her in, as well as her husband Soorya for his constant support.

Katherine Wright

Dramaturg

Katherine Wright is an actress, singer, and comedian in New York City. Katherine has helped with dramaturgy for SoHo Shakespeare Company's productions of RICHARD III and THREE SISTERS, FOUR WOMEN. She performed in readings of new works ELIJAH and GUTS (Columbia University), co-devised ON HOLD (University Settlement); NEW CREATION (Dixon Place); Elena Molokovets in the staged reading of MARROW IN THE BONE (BAM). Other roles include Olga in a devised adaptation of Three Sisters called THE HUMMM (Dixon Place, Barn Arts Festival, selections at BAX); OBERON at the (A.R.T.). Katherine has a BA in acting and dramaturgy from Emerson College and an MFA in acting from the A.R.T. Institute at Harvard University.

Rodolfo Pedroni

Associate Producer & Front of House Manager

Rodolfo is a New York based actor, born and raised in Milano, Italy.
At the age of five he fell in love with acting by observing how people were changed by the storytelling of a play. Since then, he has surrounded himself with artists and had the opportunity to study and collaborate with industry professionals from the Centro Teatro Attivo in Milano, Italy; RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts) in London, England; SoHo Shakespeare Company and Small Boat Productions in New York City. Rodolfo is a graduate from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts NY and his most recent credits include: WAITING FOR LEFTY (SoHo Shakespeare Company/Small Boat Productions); SMASH; A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM; THE ELEPHANT MAN. His heart beats wild for that same sense of compassion, generosity and heroism that one can experience with and for the audience when on stage telling a story, in this new production of 2ND MURDERER at The Flea Theatre, Rodolfo is honoured to be serving the company members, the cast and the audience as an Associate Producer and Front of House Manager.

Cito Mena

Associate Producer

Cito Mena is a Brooklyn based actor, and will serve as an associate producer and understudy for 2ND MURDERER. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Cito attended Arizona State University and later The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Cito has worked professionally on stages in Arizona and New York City, with most recent credits including: WAITING FOR LEFTY (SoHo Shakespeare Company); and THE GROUP (Columbia New Plays Festival).

Abbas Syed

Christopher Wong

Etzu Shaw

Lucky Bommireddy

Leana Gardella

Kevin Anderson

Niiamar

Keith Anderson

Angela Parra

Emily Tuckman

Layo Oloritun

Producer

Lighting Designer

Projection Designer

Sound Designer

Fight & Intimacy Director

Scenic Designer

Costume Designer

Graphic Designer

Marketing Manager & As. Producer

Associate Producer

Production Intern

Special Thanks

The Vaish Family

Matthias, Liz, and Ray Altwicker

Margherita Pepperman; The Flea Theater

Augustin Gonzalez; Nafi Khan & Sumaiya Gulshan; Cre8ive NYC

SoHo Shakespeare Company Board of Directors:

Jennifer Fouché, Jesse Charles Friedman, Susi Korda, Alex Pepperman, Laura Yumi Snell, Abbas Syed

Audition-only 4-week intensive

Audition-only 4-week intensive

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